Watched by millions of diehard conspiracy fans, Kim Raver gained her first big national exposure as the conflicted Audrey Raines on Fox’s “24” (2001- ), but the New York native had been performing on stage and both the big and small screen since she was a child.
Born March 15, 1969 in New York City, NY, Raver was one of two sisters born to her German mother Tina Raver. She gravitated towards performing at a very early age, earning her first credit as “Kim” during a three-year stint on “Sesame Street” (PBS, 1969- ). Soon after, Raver began honing her craft at an off-off-Broadway theater devoted to child performers. A fine arts graduate from Boston University in 1991, Raver’s early credits included national commercials for Visa and Jeep (the latter directed by Ridley Scott); she also landed a supporting part in the TV-movie “Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills” (1994) and had a recurring role in Darren Star’s short-lived “Central Park West” (CBS, 1995-96).
Raver’s big break and first critical raves came with her appearance in the Broadway production of “Holiday,” opposite Laura Linney and Tony Goldwyn, from 1995 through 1996. Guest roles on “Law and Order” (NBC, 1990- , “The Practice” (ABC, 1997-2004), and “Spin City” (ABC, 1996-2002) soon followed, and Raver also logged time as a cast member of the drama series “Trinity” (NBC, 1998-99) for producer John Wells. During this period, Raver also appeared in a summer production of Warren Leight’s play “The Glimmer Brothers” with David Schwimmer and the late John Spencer, at Williamstown. Impressed with her presence, Wells also cast Raver as paramedic Kim Zambrano in his police/firefighter drama “Third Watch” (NBC, 1999-2005). Raver stayed with the series until 2004 – during which she appeared in a cross-over episode of another Wells’ production, “ER” (NBC, 1994- ).
A pair of independent features followed her departure from “Third Watch” – Eric Schaeffer’s comedy “Mind the Gap” (2004) and a horror film, “Prisoner” – before she joined “24” in 2005. As CTU member Audrey Raines – the daughter of Secretary of Defense James Heller (William Devane) – Raver struggled with her feelings for Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) – feelings that were complicated immeasurably when he indirectly allowed her husband to die. She also found herself pawn to villainous agents who interrogated her with sodium pentothal, implicating her in terrorist attacks, and nearly leaving her to die. Naturally, Jack’s quick thinking rescued her from this fate.
Since joining “24,” Raver completed several films for television and theatrical release, including the psychological thriller “Keep Your Distance” (2005), and a supernatural film, “Haunting Sarah” (2005) for Lifetime.